The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-04-30
HARD LIFE AMONG THE TUBS.



the Use of the Washboard.
Take an Last Broadway car, fetch n
compass unto the classic regions of Cherry
street and there may I've penetrated the
very heart of. washwomandom, where
tenement is bound to tenement by closely
interviewer lines of fluttcring wet linen
and the atmosphere is as redolent of
warm soapsuds as the pages of LAS
sommoir." There all ranks and classes
OF laundresses live, and the stories of
their Ives bear out the claim that there
is rarely reason any hard working, self
respecting woman should live in squalor.
That is what one laundress said who had
seven little children to support and had
been in bed for two months with gastric
fever.
when I'm on my feet" she declared,
"the children want for nothing and
asks fayors from nobody. It's been
pretty hard with me here on my back for
two months now, taken down Thanksgiv-
ing day and never up since. but my sis
tors is good and helps me and my biggest
girl does all the washing she can and
makes n few dollars. There's no reason
in the world why hard working woman
shouldn't live quite decent and respecta-
bic on washng-I always did and mean
to agin when I'm well. There's the
children, all like steps and 'he' and my
self. He lps been out of work for nearly
Il year and has lust this week got a
watchman's place. but when theresa big
family like this the woman's got TO help.
How many children is there in all!' she
said, turning to the eldest daughter, who
leaned on the foot of the bed and wiped
her wet. red arms on her apron.
The pale. tagged girl went into an alb
struse calculation on her fingers. reckon
ing up an endless number of Tommies
and Susies and NIarys, winding up with
the baby, which made seven.
YES. sir; sewn, and me and him's
nine. and we liy ed quite respectable all
the year on $40 the week. How did we
do il? Well, never counted the money,
but spent it as it came and it always came
out even in the end. For one thing, we
only pays s6 month for this fiat be-
cause I'm the caretaker of the house and
that counts for the rent. Then the chill
,lre.l get big slice OF bread and butter
and Il cup of coffee for their breakfast,
meat and some potatoes or cabbage fol-
their dinner and bread and tea again fo,
supper. They live quite hearty on that
and 90 to school regular. Me and the
girl and my husband haveTa bit of bacon
at night. The coal is the thing that costs
most; it takes lot of it to heat the irons
and often, in bad weather, all the clothe;
has to be dried in the house. But there's
one thing certain, any woman that doe:
honest work can live quite nice and com
Portable on washing if she don't drink
that's the trouble with most of them"
The sister of the sick woman lived moi
far away and was one of the aristocrat!
of tho profession. She had four rooms
and lived there with young daughter il
much comfort. They had parlor witl
n set of walnut furniture, carpet and fresl
white curtains, with n motto of Goo
Bless Our Home" over the mantelpiece
One neat bright room was kept entirely
for laundry and no cooking or sleeping
was done there, as she only took i'll the
very finest washing. the owners of which
were particular that their clothes should
have no odors. She took in washing from
the big. fashionable flats up town, the
clothes being marvels of dainty luxury
many of silk and all covered with lace
and embroidery.
Il average about S15 or iS1G a week,
she said, ''and | ask So or 50 dozen fol
every stitch take in, for they are all finc
and covered with trimming and take
extra work. Besides, you've got to b,
regular trained TO know how to do al
this fine stuff, and 'tisn't every one a
could do them at all. Me and III,
daughter lives quite comfortable anC
never wants for anything. We've alway
rs much work as we can do and the ladie
pay well and promptly. She can wasl
as well rs | can and no one ever find
blue s,reals in my clothes and am care
full not TO tear the lace or let anythin,
get rlildewed, and don / ask any bette
way of earning my living"
The third washerwoman visited was o
colored persuasion and lived quite alone
Hus5and!'' she exclaimed. 'No,
amt got no husband done tried thre
and then quit; it's as much as can d'
to take care of myself, let lone suppo tin
some lazy Niger that aint no 'coun
'cepn to carry home the clothes; l XII
hire boy to do it cheaper. aint neve
had no trouble taliin care myself waShin
} no, indeed; I've got money in the savin'
bank and l makes my good $40 a wee
!, regular. You see all them po' whit
| folks on your way up stairs? Well, the
| takes in washin too, but they aint got Il
comfort about 'em and they's always
debt to the groceryman round the corner
, It's drinkin' and laziness what's til
matter with them. Monday II O'Clock
got good part of my clothes hangin' 0,
r to dry, and every day up to Friday
? washes in the mornin' and irons in q
| afternoon, but them women, they don
l do single blessed thing all day Monda,
It's late in the afternoon fore they &c
the soiled clothes here, and then it
Mrs. Flanagan, dear, come i'll an ha,
u glass Of beer, do;' and then she III
a Mrs. Flanagan sits down and talks q
: the time they're drin.lin' it, and Mr
/, Flanagan stands treat next day, and {
it goes all the week, 50 you needn
S wonder to see them poor and dirty al
Q their room SO nasty | wouldn't sit dow
I in it. Brooklyn Eagle.
$ The Norwegian Cuspidor.
tnA1- tho n,np, t,,n;tr To ,,r,ico III